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Societal issues are the factors that affect and damage the components of society like social patterns, interaction and organization. Every problem whether political, economic, security-related or cultural can be linked to social issues. India is a vast country and the society is very much diverse. In turns, there are different social issues.
Poverty: Despite economic growth, a significant portion of the population lives below the poverty line. The NFHS-5 (2019-21) data show that 14.96% of the India’s population are multidimensionally poor . According to NITI Aayog report around 32 % in Odisha live below poverty line.
Illiteracy: High illiteracy rates, especially in rural areas, hinder socio-economic progress. Odisha’s literacy rate is 75.15% as of 2023. This is slightly lower than the national average of 77.7%. In India, 2022, the male literacy rate was 82.4% and the female literacy rate was 65.8%.
Underdevelopment: The extent and nature of disparities within Odisha, particularly, regional, social and gender disparities, needs no emphasis. Drawing on concepts of social exclusion, and on both quantitative and qualitative evidence, this article looks at poverty in its multidimensional nature, ranging from income poverty to human development indicators of health and education, and assesses the social processes responsible for deprivation, including those relating to discrimination, voice and representation.
Overpopulation: Population is rising at an alarming rate in India making overpopulation an urgent and important issue. Rising population is putting enormous burden on the natural and economic resources.According to the report, India’s population in 2024 is projected at 1.45 billion and this will peak to 1.69 billion in 2054. After this, India’s population is projected to decline to 1.5 billion by the end of the century in 2100, but the country will still remain the most populous nation on Earth.
Social Backwardness and Caste related issues: Caste is still prominent factor in our society which deprives people to access even basic services. Dalits are discriminated, lynched etc. Example – 2018 Bhima Koregaon Violence etc..
Poor Education and Illiteracy: The absence of adequate assets is the fundamental issue in improving educational facilities which ranges from weak and poor infrastructure to poor quality of teaching. Thus, it creates problem like low enrolment rate and illiteracy.
Poor Health care facilities: Similarly, Health care facilities are facing various issues like weak and poor primary health care centers, shortage of medical personnel, high out of pocket expenditure, Poor medical infrastructure etc. 41% of households have at least one member covered under health insurance or health scheme.
Women issues: Gender inequality has been a social issue in India for centuries. Some of the issues are patriarchy, dowry, domestic violence, acid cases, rape, workplace harassment and many more issues that are faced by women in India.
Discrimination against marginalized and weaker sections: Persons with Disabilities, Transgenders, Tribals are still facing social discrimination. They undergo a great deal of stress- emotional, financial and sometimes physical too.
Unemployment: Job scarcity, particularly among youth, leads to economic instability and social issues . As per Census 2011, India’s population is 1210 million. With such a huge population, some economic problems have developed. These are the problems of unemployment, inflation, poverty and price rise. A large section of our population lives under the poverty line. There is a huge unemployment. Inflation and price rise has added to the problem.
Child Abuse and Child Labour: A large number of children, because of poverty, do not go to school or are withdrawn from schools before they complete their elementary education and are forced to start working at a young and tender age in factories, brick-clins, restaurants, hotels, shops etc. This hampers their growth physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Dowry System: The practice of dowry is one of the worst social practices that has affected our culture. In independent India, one of the landmark legislations is the passing of the Dowry Prohibition Act in 1961 by the Government of India. Despite the fact that the practice of both giving as well as accepting dowry is banned by law and such acts are punishable offences, the system is so thoroughly imbedded in our culture that it continues unabated.
Malnutrition and Hunger – India has the maximum number of malnourished children in the world – 1 in every 3 children are malnourished. In the 2019 Global Hunger Index, India ranks 102nd out of 117 qualifying countries. With a score of 30.3, India suffers from a level of hunger that is serious.
Gender Discrimination: In India females are discriminated in various fields like health, education and jobs. The girls carry the liability of dowry on their head, and they have to leave their parents home after marriage. Besides, in order to safeguard their old age parents prefer to have male offspring. Many female babies are aborted, abandoned, deliberately neglected and underfed simply as they are girls.
Casteism: The caste system in India has its roots in ancient India. Just as the ashrama dharma laid down rules and duties with reference to the individual’s life in the world, varna or caste system prescribed duties with reference to the particular caste to which an individual belonged.
Untouchability: Although the constitution of India explicitly bans the practice of untouchability. Still the practice prevails in rural India.
Communalism- Communalism has divided our society for long. There is mistrust and suspicion among communities which led to communal and social disharmony. The aggressive attitude of one community towards the other creates tension and clashes between two religious communities. Ultimately it results in to communal riots which results in violence, loss of life and property etc. For example – Delhi Riots in 2020.
Regionalism: Roots of regionalism is in India’s manifold diversity of languages, cultures, ethnic groups, communities, religions and so on, and encouraged by the regional concentration of those identity markers, and fueled by a sense of regional deprivation.
Minorities issues: Minorities often face discrimination and exclusion, and they struggle to gain access to their human rights, even under conditions of full and unquestioned citizenship. Denying or stripping them of citizenship can be an effective method of compounding their vulnerability, and can even lead to mass expulsion.
Beggary: Beggary is a major social problem in India. The major causes of beggary in our country are poverty and unemployment. These days many gangs are operating in our society as well, that thrives on begging in an organized manner.
Old age problem: The world population is ageing. Globally, the aged were 8% in 1950, 10% in 2000 and estimated to increase to 21% in 2050. In India, the number of elder persons was 5.8% (25.5 million) in 1961. In 1991 this figure increased to 6.7% (56.6 million). In 2011, it is estimated to increase to 8.1% (96 million) that is expected to grow to 137 million in 2021. The size of the Indian elderly (60 years and above) is expected to triple in the next few decades. Providing social, economic, and psychological support to the aged is emerging as a fundamental concern of social development
Inequality in Odisha: Odisha has succeeded in substantially reducing both rural and urban poverty incidence for the last two three decades, this change has not met desirable subgroup‐specific variations. Among regions, southern and northern Odisha have not kept pace with coastal Odisha in poverty reduction during the study period. The rate of poverty reduction for the Scheduled Tribes and the Scheduled Castes is very slow. Rural Odisha has seen a reduction in both within‐group and between‐ group disparities, whereas urban Odisha has fared the opposite. Other issues like increasing crimes in society, drug abuse, increasing suicides among youths, migrant issues etc.
The literacy rate of ST and SC groups in Odisha is 52.2% and 69% respectively, well below that of the total for the state 72.9% (NFHS V) and poverty rates for ST and SC populations remain extremely high, with ST groups at 63% and SC groups at 41% compared with the state level 33%
Measures taken by Government of India and Odisha
1. To reduce poverty and other societal issues, both governments have taken various steps in different fields
a. Agriculture: To boost farmers income GoI has taken steps like PMKISAN, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana(PMKSY) etc. KALIA scheme of Odisha Government is an initiative for the empowerment of the farming community. Through empowering farmers both the governments are trying to reducepoverty in India.
b. Generating economic opportunities through schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA),National Rural Livelihood Mission, PM Employment Generation Scheme and Subhadra Yojana etc.
2. The Government has launched Mission Parivar Vikas to increase awareness and control the ever-increasing population.
3. SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 prohibits atrocities and thus caste discrimination based on caste. Indian Civil Rights Act 1955 is meant to ensure equal civil rights to all the citizens of India. Even Article 17 of Indian constitution prohibits untouchability as a practice.
4. To improve education facilities government has taken steps like recently launched National Education Policy 2020, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan, Miday Meal scheme, Eklavya residential schools for tribals. Government of Odisha has launched Utthan Scheme to Improve education for Class VI to VIII- to provide quality education and overall development.
5. To improve Health Care facilities government has taken steps like Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana, Biju Swastya Kalyan Yojana, AMA Clinic Yojana, Niramaya Scheme etc.
6. Women issues are being tackled through various ways– implementation of schemes like Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana etc.
Government Approach:
Addressing societal issues in India, and specifically in Odisha, requires a multi-faceted approach involving government policies, community participation, and sustainable development practices. Here are some steps that can be taken:
The need of hour is to address the various societal issues prevalent in our society and provide equitable opportunities to all sections of society which will help us to achieve the objectives of inclusive growth.
